Foul! Lube, Powder, or Both?

[kcofohio]

Early on in my handloading experience, in certain guns, I would get fouling in the barrel with lead bullets. Being new to it, I thought it to be lead fouling, because I would see bits of lead on the patches. This was mainly in low pressure cartridges, namely 38 Spl. and 380s. Never in 40 or 45. Rarely in 9mm and 357. Always when using HP-38/W231 or Titegroup.
Once MBC started offering Hi-Tek coating, I quit using lubed lead.
So now, I have some lubed bullets to test, but I'm thinking that I should go with slower powders (Silh., CFE-P, Longshot) and that that may help burn up the lube better.
I'm hoping to learn from the more experienced members here. I'll admit, when it has been brought up before here, I probably was sleeping in class.
Thank you!

 

[Blue68f100]

Use what you have been using, you really do not want to burn the lube. You want the lube to remain on barrel and coat it as it goes down. If it doesn't you will get leading. The main thing is that the fit and hardness must match the pressure to keep from leading.

Some powders burn a cooler temp which will generate less smoke.

 

[MEHavey]

Match the powder to your req'd lead/alloy obturation & velocity characteristics.
Ignore the effects (if any) on lube residue.
(In fact, you want residue -- all the out to the end of the muzzle)

If the traditional powders you cite work now, use them again in your workup.
And if the gun shoots well . . .ignore fouling in general unless so severe to actually lock up the gun.


.

 

[kcofohio]

Use what you have been using, you really do not want to burn the lube. You want the lube to remain on barrel and coat it as it goes down. If it doesn't you will get leading. The main thing is that the fit and hardness must match the pressure to keep from leading.

Some powders burn a cooler temp which will generate less smoke.

Okay, that makes sense. So basically, it's not really fouling if there is just a coating of lube in the barrel?

 

[MEHavey]

Roger that...

 

[Rule3]

Early on in my handloading experience, in certain guns, I would get fouling in the barrel with lead bullets. Being new to it, I thought it to be lead fouling, because I would see bits of lead on the patches. This was mainly in low pressure cartridges, namely 38 Spl. and 380s. Never in 40 or 45. Rarely in 9mm and 357. Always when using HP-38/W231 or Titegroup.
Once MBC started offering Hi-Tek coating, I quit using lubed lead.
So now, I have some lubed bullets to test, but I'm thinking that I should go with slower powders (Silh., CFE-P, Longshot) and that that may help burn up the lube better.
I'm hoping to learn from the more experienced members here. I'll admit, when it has been brought up before here, I probably was sleeping in class.
Thank you!

Conventional lube and powders are Dirty. It is what it is.
Of course there is the "search" for "clean" powders" but with regular lube you are gonna have a mess, this of course is
assuming" that you have perfect bullet fit and not Leading involved.
HP38 is not known as one of the "cleanest" burning powders but none are at low charge weights (or enough to make much difference)
Use 3 cleaning patches or 5 ?

 

[kcofohio]

Match the powder to your req'd lead/alloy obturation & velocity characteristics.
Ignore the effects (if any) on lube residue.
(In fact, you want residue -- all the out to the end of the muzzle)

If the traditional powders you cite work now, use them again in your workup.
And if the gun shoots well . . .ignore fouling in general unless so severe to actually lock up the gun.


.

Okay, will retry.
The only times (twice) that I know I had leading was when I did too light of loads, and the lead was like thin shreds of ribbons in the barrel.

 

[kcofohio]

Roger that...

Thanks!

 

[MEHavey]

only times (twice) that I know I had leading was when I did too light of loads,

Contrary to a lot of internet lore, using too hard a bullet/at too low a pressure will produce gawdawful leading.
(and advice to go harder/slower makes it even worse)


Faster powders/softer alloys (within limits) is the secret to mirror-clean bores after a single dry patch.

 

[kcofohio]

Conventional lube and powders are Dirty. It is what it is.
Of course there is the "search" for "clean" powders" but with regular lube you are gonna have a mess, this of course is
assuming" that you have perfect bullet fit and not Leading involved.
HP38 is not known as one of the "cleanest" burning powders but none are at low charge weights (or enough to make much difference)
Use 3 cleaning patches or 5 ?

Yeah, I kinda noticed that on some of my stainless guns, especially at low(er) pressure.
Usually I'll have a small pile of patches and still can get more with each pass through. Maybe I was expecting too much for the barrel to be spotless with lead.

 

[Rule3]

Yeah, I kinda noticed that on some of my stainless guns, especially at low(er) pressure.
Usually I'll have a small pile of patches and still can get more with each pass through. Maybe I was expecting too much for the barrel to be spotless with lead.

I have switched over to "coated" bullets. I shot some regular lubed lead a few weeks again and forgot how nasty it is.

Have even melted the lube off a box of MBC regular lubed lead, cleaned them, shake and baked them with powder coat paint and so much cleaner, I real PITA to do but I am getting better/faster at it. So far only 230gr 45 ACP I am not gonna bother with the 9mm and 357 bullets.

 

[Catpop]

Powder Coating masks some issues of leading when shooting lead boolits.
One, finding exact boolit to bore fit producing no leading in your gun.
Two, boolit to throat fit
Three, brn of boolit
Four, which lube to use

One of many cases in point, I had a 45 1911 that leaded every time I shot MBC .452 230 gr lead boolits. Thanks to a buddy of mine, I was able to acquire some .453 boolits.
Now ZERO leading and with 7 brn range scrape lead and any old lube!


Just my hands-on experience.